New Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Senator Lorenzo Francis has ended his first week on the job and says he is eager for the task ahead. Mr.Francis who was appointed AG last week following the dismissal of Dr.Nicholas Frederick, spent the week familiarizing himself with staff at the Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Justice. Mr.Francis noting that the duties and responsibilities are challenging vowed to execute them to the best of his ability. The new AG also pledged to bring back competence to the Office. He says he hopes to bring principle and Chamber practices to ensure that the people and government of St.Lucia receive the best representation in legal and judicial matters.
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Meantime,
The St.Lucia Bar Association has congratulated Mr.Francis on his appointment as Attorney General. The Association says it hopes Mr.Francis will be more effective than his predecessor in the position. With the level of experience Mr.Francis brings to the table, the Bar Association says it is looking forward to the changes he will be making in the Justice system. On the priority list for the Association is the building of capacity through a central reporting mechanism within the Attorney General’s Chambers. The Bar Association is also hoping the new AG will pay close attention to the needs of judicial officers by upgrading court facilities. The Bar Association for the first time in St.lucia’s history staged protest action to get the authorities to address the dire conditions that exist at the Registry of the High Court and others.
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Saint Lucian Dr. Martha Isaac will present the keynote address when the Folk Research Centre (FRC) and the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) present the 2010 Emancipation Lectures. Dr. Isaac, a former Principal of the Ave Maria Primary School, is a lecturer at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies. The opening keynote lecture will take place at the Conference room of the CDF, Barnard Hill, at 7 pm on Tuesday August 3rd 2010. Dr. Isaac’s paper is titled “Language policy issues and the establishment of a Language Commission.”The overall theme of the lecture series is “Lanng Manman Nou: language issues in Saint Lucia.” Two other lectures are also scheduled. On Wednesday August 4th Ms. Celeste Burton will speak on the topic “Creole language: where next? What next? The place of a Creole Language Commission.” This lecture takes place in Laborie at 7 pm and is hosted by Labowi promotions. On Thursday August 5th at 7 pm, the Committee organizing 25 years of Gros Islet’s Township partners with the CDF and FRC to host the third lecture. It will be delivered by Dr. Kentry JnPierre, Executive Director of the FRC and is entitled “What is the nature of our society? St. Lucia’s Creolité/Creoleness – historical, political and cultural issues.” The venue is the Palm Haven Hotel, Gros Islet.A television panel discussion on the place of the creole language in contemporary culture and its use in the fields of media, the arts, music, digital technology, law etc has also been organized. The programme will be hosted by Teddy Francis on his New Perspectives.All the lectures are open to the general public. A special invitation is extended to St. Lucians and visitors here for the Homecoming programme of events.
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